Do you really want to be a manager?

Suzanna Bierwirth, CCO of The Mars Agency, gave a brilliant lightning talk at PPP today. Below are my notes.

Before you go into management, consider — do you want to manage, or do you just want more cash?

How are you going to manage yourself once you are a manager?

The work is no longer your work. Delegate or die.

Help others succeed at the IC work.

Find your inner circle

People you trust

Person who will call you on your BS

Person who understand your vision

Don’t change yourself — don’t think you have to be perfect or a super star. Build on your strengths. Perfect who you really are.

Managing your people

Know your people

Why are they there?

Do they want money?

Do they want to advance their career?

What is going on in their life?

Find your “informer” — the gossip who will keep you informed

2. Know what your people are good at

Know what their superpower is

Don’t put people on projects where they are set up to fail — work with their strengths

3. NEVER throw your people under the bus.

All the work that comes out is your responsibility.

If your team messes up — it’s your mess up

How to manage your boss (from boss’ point of view)

Know how your boss needs to receive information

Do they hate long emails?

Do they prefer in person communication?

Prefer texts?

2. Don’t let me hang there — I have a boss, too

Don’t let me get blind-sided.

Don’t come and dump emotion on me

Bring me information

3. Don’t come to me in a panic. Bring me options for your problem.

Help me give you good input

4. Have a plan when you talk to me

Frame the problem appropriately

For example, as a manager going to your director, don’t say “I need to hire people!” rather, frame the business problem:“I am turning down work and we are losing money. We just can’t handle the capacity.”

When your boss says “Maybe we should hire more people!” let them know how brilliant that is.

Do you have any tips for people transitioning into management? Please share them!